The Plateau State Government has intensified efforts to strengthen community security through the ongoing recruitment and training of over 1,400 local security officers under the state’s security outfit, Operation Rainbow.
The training, currently taking place at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Command and Staff College in Jos East, is part of the government’s renewed commitment to revamp Operation Rainbow — a community-based security initiative aimed at intelligence gathering, early response, and grassroots protection against violent attacks.
Speaking during an inspection of the training exercise, the Special Adviser on Security and Homeland Safety and Acting Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, Brig. Gen. Gakji Shipi (Rtd.), explained that the initiative forms part of Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s broader security strategy to safeguard lives and property across all 17 local government areas of the state.
“Operation Rainbow is the neighborhood watch agency of the Plateau State Government,” he said. “This recruitment and training are part of our efforts to restructure the state’s security architecture by bringing together hunters, vigilantes, and other local security actors under a coordinated framework. These officers will serve as the first line of defense in their various communities.”
He added that the trainees are being equipped with basic tactical skills, intelligence gathering, and coordination techniques to enhance community security efforts. The programme, he noted, would also enable the government to effectively monitor, fund, and regulate local security activities to prevent misuse of such outfits.
Gen. Shipi revealed that the training will be conducted in two phases, with 1,450 personnel expected in total. While the issue of arms has not been fully determined, he confirmed that the government has approved a controlled level of arms to support their operations.
“There is hardly any local government in Plateau State that is completely free of security challenges,” he noted. “This initiative is aimed at ensuring that every community has a trained and coordinated team ready to respond to threats before conventional forces arrive.”
The Camp Commandant, Chief Superintendent of Corps Patrick Gutul, also shed light on the process, noting that participants were selected from various communities through recommendations by local and traditional councils.
“We allowed the locals to nominate trusted individuals who have been active in safeguarding their communities,” he explained. “They were screened and admitted into this three-week intensive training programme focusing on discipline, physical drills, arms handling, and intelligence gathering.”
He emphasized that the participants, being members of their respective communities, would serve as first responders to emerging security threats.
Some of the trainees, including Jennifer Jeremiah from Kwal and Dakwat Khalid Malo from Qua’anpan, expressed gratitude to Governor Caleb Mutfwang for the opportunity, describing the exercise as timely and impactful.
“This training is preparing us to serve as the first line of defense in our communities,” Jeremiah said. “We are committed to using the knowledge gained here to protect lives and ensure peace.”
The Plateau State Government has in recent months intensified efforts to reform and strengthen its security framework, with Operation Rainbow playing a central role in fostering community-based intelligence and response mechanisms aimed at curbing insecurity across the state.
